I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Chapter 346: Chapter 135: Willing to Try Despite the Danger

Song Yunzhao had no desire to get too close to Consort Shu. The woman was like a ticking time bomb; once she went off, anyone nearby was bound to get caught in the blast.

However, it would have been unseemly to refuse outright, so she said, "I’m afraid I must disappoint Your Ladyship. I spent half the day watching the koi in the Imperial Garden yesterday, and the wind has given me a bit of a headache. I won’t be going out tonight."

Hearing this, Nanny Wen asked a few concerned questions before rising to take her leave. Nanny Yu personally saw her out.

Song Yunzhao looked at the rotating lantern Consort Shu had sent over. The silk panels were painted with images of beautiful women. When the lantern was lit, these beauties would seem to stroll in a circle as it turned. It was a truly lovely sight.

Sending her a Beauty Lamp... Song Yunzhao wasn’t sure if Consort Shu was complimenting her beauty or making a show of power. After a moment’s thought, she had someone hang it under the eaves. After all, the lantern was genuinely beautiful.

Song Yunzhao did indeed have a slight headache, perhaps from catching a chill. She knew the Emperor planned to leave the palace incognito that night to celebrate the Lantern Festival among the common folk, so he certainly wouldn’t be coming to Wangyou Palace. Thus, after admiring the lanterns with her attendants for a short while, she went to bed early.

As for whether she was sad that the Emperor wasn’t spending the Lantern Festival with her?

’Would he grow wings and fly back just because I was sad?’ Besides, the affection between them hadn’t reached that level. She honestly didn’t feel much of anything. She was the type to appreciate festivals without getting overly attached to them; having a bit of fun was enough.

「Taiji Palace.」

It was already past 9 p.m. when Feng Yi returned from his excursion. He summoned Zhang Maoquan for a report, only to learn that Wangyou Palace had closed its gates early.

He smiled at the thought. It was much too late; he shouldn’t disturb her sweet dreams.

The first matter of business after the new year began was the courtiers petitioning the Emperor to bring the Empress Dowager back to the palace during the morning assembly. This was hardly a pleasant topic. ’These people are deliberately trying to make things difficult for the Emperor,’ Song Yunzhao thought.

However, the Emperor cited the Empress Dowager’s having caught a cold and fallen ill over the new year, insisting they wait until she had fully recovered.

Song Yunzhao found this absolutely hilarious. During the new year, the Empress Dowager had deliberately sent a letter to the Emperor claiming she was ill, obviously intending to use it as a pretext to return to the capital. But the Emperor had countered by immediately dispatching an Imperial Physician to the traveling palace to treat her, stating in stern and righteous terms that he feared the bitter winter cold would worsen her condition on the road.

Now, with the courtiers bringing it up on the very first day of court, she suspected this was no coincidence.

The Emperor and the Empress Dowager had already exchanged a few blows before and after the new year. It was clear there was no love lost between the mother and son.

But the Empress Dowager held the position of his biological mother. So even if the Emperor was displeased, he couldn’t do anything brazenly, lest he be accused of being unfilial.

Thinking of this reminded her that in the book, Qin Xiyue was the one who helped the Emperor resist the Empress Dowager, which was how she further won his favor.

Tsk.

’How annoying.’

Nanny Yu gently lifted the beaded curtain and entered. Seeing her mistress staring blankly into space despite holding a storybook, she took a step forward, bowed slightly, and said softly, "My Lady."

Song Yunzhao snapped back to her senses at the sound and looked up at Nanny Yu. "What is it?"

"This old servant heard that Consort Zhuang and Princess Consort Wan went to Shouci Palace today. They had just arrived when Wanyi Qin and a few other concubines showed up right behind them."

Song Yunzhao wasn’t surprised in the least. She recalled how she once thought that among the three high-ranking concubines, Consort Zhuang might be a potential ally. Who would have known that after all the twists and turns, their potential collaboration would fall through, while her relationship with Consort Shu had become somewhat amicable.

Consort Zhuang was an ambitious woman. Song Yunzhao had seen this as an advantage, believing that for the sake of her reputation, the consort wouldn’t do anything too outrageous, which would allow her to navigate the situation and find her own place.

But who knew that while Consort Zhuang did value her reputation, she was also incredibly narrow-minded. She couldn’t tolerate Song Yunzhao in the slightest and seized every opportunity to suppress her. Cooperation was impossible.

’As for today’s events, it was most likely a conspiracy between Consort Zhuang and Qin Xiyue. How else could it be such a coincidence?’

’The Empress Dowager is coming back. They must think they can use her to get rid of me, which is why they’re so invested in the affairs of Shouci Palace.’

It was a classic case of putting the cart before the horse. Did they not see who truly called the shots in this palace?

The Empress Dowager was indeed the Emperor’s mother, but the Emperor was no blindly filial son. Besides, sparks were flying in the battle between this mother and son; whoever got caught in the middle was bound to be unlucky.

’Consort Zhuang prides herself on being clever. Could she really not have thought of this?’

’Perhaps it’s not that she hasn’t thought of it, but that she’s so desperate to bring me down that she’s willing to take the risk.’

Song Yunzhao sighed. With the Empress Dowager returning, she would naturally have to side with the Emperor. But she couldn’t be a fool and confront the Empress Dowager directly. Wouldn’t that be like striking a stone with an egg?

’But what if the Empress Dowager is determined to make me her target?’

She really wished she could post a plea for help to the masses of netizens, like one could in a later life: ’Online now, waiting for answers. It’s urgent!’

How could she not be anxious?

It wasn’t quite a matter of her life hanging by a thread, but Song Yunzhao was certain her name was at the very top of the Empress Dowager’s hit list.

’Given the relationship between that mother and son, the Empress Dowager is bound to hate whatever the Emperor likes.’

Seeing her mistress lost in thought again, Nanny Yu couldn’t help but feel anxious. The Empress Dowager was not like the three concubines; the Concubine could not afford to take this lightly.

"My Lady, you can’t just ignore this matter. You must think of a plan," Nanny Yu said.

"Nanny, what kind of plan do you think I can come up with?" Song Yunzhao asked, looking at Nanny Yu.

Nanny Yu thought about the relationship between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Song Yunzhao gave a light laugh. "I’m afraid any plan I come up with will be useless."

"But, My Lady, you can’t just sit here and wait."

"Nanny, even if I did do something, do you think the Empress Dowager would like me? No, she wouldn’t." Song Yunzhao had come to a realization. She wouldn’t be jumping off the Emperor’s ship. As for the Empress Dowager, if she really went too far, she wasn’t one to be bullied so easily.

’Doesn’t the Empress Dowager care about her reputation?’

’Even an elder can’t just do whatever she pleases.’

With this thought, Song Yunzhao quickly established her position, and her mood instantly brightened.

’Life is short. Why overthink things?’

No matter how active Consort Zhuang and the others became in the palace, Song Yunzhao remained peacefully in Wangyou Palace, unmoved. It was one thing for Song Yunzhao to act this way, but for Consort Shu to also remain completely quiet was very strange.

Feng Yunjin lived a bit closer to Shouci Palace, so she couldn’t very well ignore the situation and would go over to help out from time to time. Han Jinyi only went once, had an unpleasant run-in with some other concubines, and never went back.

Lu Zhixue, knowing Qin Xiyue was there, didn’t show her face at all. The Emperor hadn’t even issued a decree, so she saw no reason to be so attentive.

Besides, after hearing what happened to Han Jinyi, she was even more convinced that staying away was the right decision.

In any case, Song Yunzhao wasn’t going. If anything happened, she would be there to take the brunt of it. Following her lead couldn’t be wrong.